Almost Lover
by LovingSladeAlways
Summary: "Axis, you are a prostitute. Your job is to serve the clients. Don't expect them to serve you. Dozens of clients have left this institution for various reasons. I do not understand why you are upset by this one." Rhys/Axis


**Disclaimer: Don't own Teahouse. **

**Key: black, italic font is the lyrics to a song. Italics are flashbacks. And regular font is just the story.**

**Warning: some sex flashbacks, though it doesn't go into **_**too**_** much detail. Enjoy!**

Axis pressed his forehead to the window pane. The glass fogged with the heat of his skin and his hot breath. He didn't know what this feeling would be called. His cheeks felt hot, his eyes stung, and for the _life of him_, he couldn't swallow the bump in his throat. He punched the window sill, the wood splintering with his frustration.

_**Your fingertips across my skin  
>The palm trees swaying in the wind<br>Images**_

"Fuck," he whispered, not taking his eyes off the form retreating from the Teahouse. "_Fuck."_

Rhys was leaving. _Forever._ Axis was perplexed as to why he gave a flying fuck. Then Rhys turned back to look at the Teahouse. He stared right up at Axis, and Axis leapt back, not wanting to look like a stupid, silly girl. Axis shook his head clear. _He can't _see_ you, dumbass. The windows would probably just reflect the sky or some shit, _Axis thought to try and cool his nerves.

And yet, his nerves continued to jump with anxiety. He honestly didn't know what was happening to him. The stinging in his eyes grew, so he pressed his palms into his eyes. He couldn't help but remember what Rhys had said today—the last night they would share.

_Rhys had just entered Axis' room behind him. He pushed Axis into the nearest wall, and ground his knee between Axis' thighs and started rubbing it back and forth. Axis threw his head back in ecstasy. Rhys leaned into his neck, his lips pressing lightly at his throat. He whispered so Axis almost didn't hear over his panting, "You really are beautiful."_

_**You sang me Spanish lullabies  
>The sweetest sadness in your eyes<br>Clever trick**_

Axis shakily let go of his face and startled when someone cleared their throat behind him. He turned to see that it was Xanthe.

"Oh, hey, boss," Axis mumbled trying to look annoyed like he usually did around his boss. But, that day, he couldn't bring himself to it. He felt too lethargic.

Xanthe's face hardened a little at seeing the unusual behavior from Axis. He knew why, and he hated to have to deal with this emotional side of one of his courtesans. It was awkward.

"Axis, you are a prostitute. Your _job _is to serve the clients. Don't expect them to serve _you._ Dozens of clients have left this institution for various reasons. I do not understand why you are upset by this one."

Axis' thoughts got depressing; _For starters, he didn't even give a proper good-bye. _

_**I never want to see you unhappy  
>I thought you'd want the same for me<strong>_

Axis just nodded numbly. Xanthe would take what he could get for right now. After all, he had just lost his most well-off customer. Xanthe strode out of the vacant room with a curt nod. Axis flipped him off as soon as he couldn't be seen by his bushy-browed boss. He turned back to the window. He could see Rhys' carriage idly waiting for Reed to hop in. Axis didn't know if he had left or not. He sighed, because Reed would be coming back, but Rhys…

_Axis clawed at Rhys' back, his nails leaving temporary scratches. Rhys pounded him into the bed, clutching the sheets above Axis' head. Sweat poured off of both of them. Axis threw his head back in pure bliss. Rhys bit his whore's lip, and nipped along his throat. Suddenly, surprisingly, Rhys took both of Axis' hands and intertwined their fingers. Axis opened his eyes in mild shock, but he didn't let go. He just watched Rhys' eyes flutter underneath his closed eyelids. Axis watched the sweat drip from his chin onto Axis' chest. Then Rhys opened his eyes…_

_**We walked along a crowded street  
>You took my hand and danced with me<br>Images**_

Another throat was cleared behind Axis. This time he didn't jump, but just calmly turned around. It was Reed in all his grim glory. Axis rose in eyebrow and scowled. "What the fuck do you want, cockbreath?"

Reed's nose curled in disgust, but he had something to say. "If anything, you're the one that smells like cock." Axis thought about raising his voice and giving this aristocratic jerk some hell, but he just sighed through his nose and let Reed continue. "You must understand that Rhys has important duties to attend to. More responsibility lies on his shoulders than you'll experience in all your life."

Axis rolled his eyes and decided to raise his voice anyway. "Who are _you_ to insult me?" He questioned, his middle finger jabbing Reed in the chest. Reed, for a split second, looked ready to vomit. Instead he just spoke sternly, "I'm a powerful man with powerful weapons. Don't push me."

Axis scoffed but took his finger away. Reed was half way out the door when he turned slightly, his profile shown. "If he had the choice, then he'd come back. Rhys is predictable. Even you have the intelligence to remember who he always chooses when he comes here." Then Reed was gone. Axis closed his eyes again, his shoulders hunching as he crossed his arms over his chest.

_Rhys' eyes were always icy, like they were stabbing you with an icicle. But as he gazed down at Axis, the chill left them momentarily. They seemed to melt the freeze away. Like actually _melt._ Axis' eyes widened when he realized Rhys' eyes were beginning to water. He couldn't be crying, could he? Before Axis could decide, Rhys leaned in and kissed him, silencing every thought._

_**And when you left you kissed my lips  
>You told me you'd never ever forget these images, no<strong>_

Axis walked out of the empty room, trying unsuccessfully to leave these weird emotions behind. They clung to him, like how babies cling to their mother's breast. He walked down the steps, his bare feet not making a whisper of noise. He saw Rory being tormented by Mercutio and decided maybe talking to people right then wasn't a good idea. He climbed back up the steps and back into his bed.

He felt his heart clench when he realized the maids had already cleared away his dirty sheets. He couldn't even remember what Rhys had smelled like. Without thinking about it, he lifted up his arm to sniff it. He inhaled deeply and the overpowering aroma of sex filled his nostrils. _Rhys might smell like sex, but I doubt it, _Axis thought. He rolled over to reach for a pack of cigarettes that had dropped onto the ground. He noticed a pillow casing the maids must've dropped. He scooped it up and breathed it in. That was more like it.

The tears that were hiding behind his eyes crept out again. They wavered on the brink of free falling off his lashes, but he caught them with his finger. "That fag must wear some strong perfume to make my eyes water like this," Axis mumbled. He was alone, but even in the quiet of his bedroom, he wouldn't ever admit what he was actually feeling.

_**I cannot go to the ocean  
>I cannot drive the streets at night<br>I cannot wake up in the morning  
>Without you on my mind<br>So you're gone and I'm haunted  
>And I bet you are just fine<br>Did I make it that easy  
>To walk right in and out of my life?<strong>__  
><em> 

"_I'm leaving," Rhys announced. _

"_Well good fucking riddance," Axis yelled. _

_Rhys' jaw clenched, "For good." Axis sat up straight in his bed, surprise written all over his face. _

_He stuttered but cleared his throat in time to save face, "W-where are you going?" _

_Rhys began to answer but Axis cut him off, "Oh wait, I don't care." _

_Rhys' lips pursed, but he spoke anyways, "It's a family matter. I'm getting married." Rhys was adjusting his shirt as he was talking and Axis was staring dumbly at the explanation. _

"_I guess, congrats? Hope that bitch can handle you being the girl of the marriage." Rhys smirked at that, but no witty comeback was said. Instead he simply walked out the door. _

_Axis' eyebrows scrunched together as he tried to figure out why Rhys was acting so cool about it. Then Axis realized _he _was just getting flustered over it. Axis saw that Rhys had left his coat. He put on a pair of pants real quick, not even bothering to zip it up, and grabbed the coat. He ran down the hallway after Rhys. Rhys turned at Axis' feet thumping against the carpet. _

"_Yes?"_

_For a second, Axis forgot how to speak. "Uh, you left your coat." _

_Rhys raised an eyebrow, since normally Axis wouldn't care enough to go after Rhys. "Thank you. Have a nice life," he said in an undeterminable tone._

_Axis' eyebrows met in the middle of his forehead again. "You too…" He handed Rhys the coat, and their hands touched for a second. They both lingered, eyes locked on one another. Then Axis let go, his ears feeling hot._

Axis covered himself up with the fresh sheets and failed to sleep, the pillow case still gripped tightly in his fist.

Outside the Teahouse, a certain prince was wiping at his eyes whenever he noticed Reed approaching. "Alice must wear some strong perfume to make my eyes water like this," Rhys murmured to himself. Reed entered the door to the black coach, and stepped in.

"Sorry for the wait. I thought you'd take longer to… you know," Reed spoke softly; weary of his friend's mood.

Rhys' eyes narrowed and he snapped at Reed, "Why would you think that? Axis understands exactly what was expected. He's a courtesan and I was his client. End of story."

Reed lit a cigarette and let the smoke billow out of his mouth as he replied serenely, "It's strange to hear you call him by his given name… But I never mentioned him."

Rhys crossed his arms tight against his chest, and looked out the window. He wanted Axis to still be standing up in the second story window, looking down at him as he departed the brothel. But Axis was gone, and so was a piece of Rhys' passion.

_**Goodbye, my almost lover  
>Goodbye, my hopeless dream<br>I'm trying not to think about you  
>Can't you just let me be?<br>So long, my luckless romance  
>My back is turned on you<br>I should've known you'd bring me heartache  
>Almost lovers always do<strong>_

The carriage pulled away from the Teahouse, carrying one passenger away for the last time.

**The song was Almost Lover by Fine Frenzy (not the whole song). That song just makes me want to cry sometimes, or cuddle up with my pillow. Seriously, go take a listen. I thought about what was going to happen whenever Rhys gets married, and whether he'll keep coming to the brothel. I… doubt it—at some level anyways. And I know these two just are going to fall in love and then they'll be torn apart and OH THE AGONY! Sooo, I wrote a story about it! :D This is my third post today (fuuuuuck I'm sooooo awwwwesome). Any who! REVIEW. Please. Another Happy V-day to all (this is my sad V-day fic, and I just felt like writing about these two hotties).**

**L.S.A.**

**Ps. I thought it was like artistic and everything for Axis to grab the pillow casing instead of the cigs as if to say Rhys was his drug of choice. Just thought I'd tell you! Me being creative and all might get at least one person interested. :P Tell me if you got that without my telling you.**


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